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Mary's the Name
Mary's the Name
Ross Sayers | 2017 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wee Mary is a great character. (0 more)
Predictable plot. Should be young adult novel. (0 more)
Good book from a new author
Contains spoilers, click to show
This was my first book of the year and it didn't disappoint. Mary is a great wee character that the reader is drawn to from page 1. This is a novel about an innocent child and a corrupt granddad - a diamond of a man who loves his granddaughter dearly. The author did a great job of writing from Mary's point of view when the character is so young. My only criticism would be the explaining of Scottish words - trust your reader. Otherwise, it was great. The plot was brilliant and I even had a gasp, right in the middle, but I won't spoil it for anyone. Well done Ross, looking forward to the next one.
  
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Doctor Sleep (2019)
2019 | Horror
I have recently read and enjoyed the book so was looking forward to seeing what they have done with this. Thankfully I was pleasantly impressed, the film manages to be both a decent adaptation of King’s novel and a satisfying sequel to The Shining. It does change a few things and the ending of the novel but is largely a happy compromise between book and movie. The casting is good particularly Rebecca Ferguson as Rose and the film has some very dark disturbing scenes that linger with you afterwards. It’s certainly long (2.5 hours- theatrical version) but its well paced and kept me entertained and doesn’t really feel as long as that. The blu ray comes with the 3 hour directors cut which I am looking forward to watching as well.
  
The Handmaid’s Tale: The Graphic Novel
The Handmaid’s Tale: The Graphic Novel
Margaret Atwood, Renée Nault | 2019 | Comics & Graphic Novels, Dystopia, Fiction & Poetry
10
7.8 (17 Ratings)
Book Rating
A worthy addition to the original story.
This is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel which remains true to the original novel by Margaret Atwood. It seems even more disturbing with the pictures: the starkness of the almost black and white background against the red of the Handmaids clothes, not only makes the Handmaids stand out, it also, for me, highlights their separateness or ‘otherness’.

It’s a while since I read the original book, but the prose in it felt right. It’s not all prose in speech bubbles, there are more in-depth, explanatory short paragraphs - and I think they really worked well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I can see myself reading this again and again - and I might just have to re-read the original too, especially in the lead up to The Testaments.